Six hours into a KLM transatlantic flight, the captain radioed air traffic control as the aircraft approached Bermuda with a strange request: we need to divert because of the pigs onboard. And no, the captain was not referring to unruly passengers.
KLM Flight Diverts Due To Stench From Pigs Onboard
KL685 was traveling from Amsterdam (AMS) to Mexico City (MEX) on December 13, 2024 on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. There were 259 people onboard…and 100 pigs in the cargo hold. Per the captain, the pigs began to stink…creating an “obnoxious smell” in the cockpit.
The ATC is fasciating (fast-forward to the three-minute mark if you want to get right to the pigs):
The flight landed in L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda (BDA) after dumping fuel. There was no declared emergency: just a bad smell.
With the unintended stop, the flight was unable to continue to Meixco City that day, thus overnight accommodations had to be arranged for the pigs onboard…and the 259 passengers as well.
Passengers were placed in hotels while KLM worked with the Bermuda Government, Menzies, Delta Air Lines, and Skyport to find “humane” lodging for the pigs.
The next day, the light continued to Mexico City without incident.
How Could This Happen?
I’m not sure why pigs were flown from the Netherlands to Mexico in the first place (unless it was a bunch of fertile females ready to help Meixco increase in its pork population), but I do have a question. Doesn’t the cockpit receive fresh air from outside? The 787 Aircraft Operations Manual (AOM) states:
“The flight deck receives 100% conditioned outside air and the passenger cabin receives a mix of outside air and recirculated air.”
So was this really pigs making the stench or just one of the relief pilots reacting poorly to a fish dinner?
I somewhat jest, but it is a serious question…how does the pig stench reach the cockpit?
CONCLUSION
A KLM 787-9 diverted to Bermuda after a strong pig stench onboard. This has to be one of the oddest diversions I have ever seen…and it had nothing to do with passenger beahvior. It still isn’t clear to me how the odors from the cargo hold entered the cockpit, but I’d imagine it must have been very bad in order to make a very costly diversion.
I do not care to be on a pig scented flight. But I would take that over being detained for an entire day, even in Bermuda. These blogs identify all sorts of flights which have been diverted for various reasons – in this case almost an entire man year got lost on account of the diversion. And no doubt passengers who would have been on that equipment in Mexico City were impacted
How do airlines strike a balance between sucking up an substantial immediate annoyance and the hassle of impact on operations?
I can only imagine that the smell was truly unbearable to prompt such a diversion.
“the pigs began to stink…creating an “obnoxious smell” in the cockpit.” Good luck in getting that smell out of the plane. I used to work with pig producers. Once in Italy, I was told we were meeting the owners at the their business office so had to wear suit and tie. Guess what? After the meeting they invited us to visit the nearby pig farm. Yes, wearing a suit and tie. No need to say that I had to pack that suit in a double plastic bag and have it dry cleaned twice after I got home. It really stinks and it does not go away.
I’m wondering what makes Dutch pigs so valuable that they were flown over in the first place.
Maybe the stench wafted from the cargo area in the avionics area and then into the flight deck?
Someone in the cockpit shat their pants and the poor pigs copped the blame
Years ago I remember a report about a commercial airline having to divert due to many (live) pigs being transported in the cargo hold. I believe it may have been over or near Australia. I’ve tried to Google it but it was probably 20-25 years ago. Apparently they let off A LOT of gas and this was the reason. Poor things (I’m an animal lover) and they probably were not in any state of abuse but still, one can imagine how tightly packed they probably were. and then the farting and pooping. Ugh.
What about the pigs? Were they offloaded and are now swimming to Mexico? Or did the captain tell them to stop stinking and to refrain from farting?
Does anyone have access to KLM-internal WhatsApp groups and message boards to share some gossip with us regarding this diversion?
I believe the pigs were re-boarded, though that has not been confirmed specifically by anyone.
Dear KLM, I am today revising my open letter to you. While I have enjoyed flying you intra-Europe, I haven’t flown you trans-Atlantic because of worse-than-1-2-1 J seating on some aircraft. In addition to requiring a window seat in J with aisle access, I want a pig-free flight.